At that moment, an ethereal song drifted over from behind them. The Doctor and Gladiia immediately turned around, only to see Skadi in the water sphere, her eyes closed as she softly sang a song that called to the Seaborn.
This was undoubtedly proof that she had connected to the hivemind. Gladiia immediately grabbed the Doctor and hurled him into the water sphere, hoping only that his presence would keep Skadi's consciousness from losing itself in the hivemind's endless summons.
"We'll stand guard here!" Gladiia declared resolutely, fully displaying the bearing of a commander of the Honor Guard.
The Doctor swam through the water sphere and tightly embraced Skadi. Sensing that familiar warmth amid the cold, Skadi responded to his concern and formed an air pocket within the sphere for him to breathe.
Thank goodness. Skadi had not yet fallen.
The Doctor held Skadi like that, praying she could find the reason the Seaborn kept advancing and make them return to the sea.
Connecting to the hivemind was far from pleasant for Skadi. She felt her consciousness being infinitely divided throughout the entire ocean, sensing the shifts in the currents and listening to life's endless need to adapt to its environment.
I'm breaking apart... I'm sinking... I'm getting lost...
Skadi struggled to preserve her sanity amid overwhelming confusion, but in that cold, profound space, she simply could not manage it. The immense loneliness filled her with fear...
Fortunately, there was one person who would never abandon her.
The Doctor.
Feeling her cold body tightly embraced, Skadi let out a soft moan that scattered her fear of loneliness. She now had enough courage to walk through this darkness. For the Doctor's sake, she was willing to face those ancient beings once more.
The God of Persistence, the primal lifeline, could command